2 Suspects in Fast-Food Restaurant Holdups Arrested

Police arrested two local men suspected of robbing at least 10 fast-food restaurants in the San Fernando Valley over a three-week span, authorities said Wednesday.

Carlos Gonzales, 34, of Simi Valley and Juan Hernandez, 30, of San Fernando were arrested and booked on suspicion of robbery after they were found at Hernandez’s home Tuesday night in the 1100 block of Hollister Street.

Police suspect the pair, known as the Burger Chain Robbers, were responsible for hitting 10 fast-food restaurants between Aug. 17 and Sunday.

They first struck on Aug. 17 at a McDonald’s restaurant in the 13000 block of Roscoe Boulevard in Sun Valley, police said. They continued their robbing spree, hitting other McDonald’s, Burger King and In-N-Out Burger restaurants, sometimes repeating their heists at the same location days later, authorities said.

Police said the same scenario was repeated in each of the robberies: A gunman, believed to be Gonzales, would walk up to the drive-through counter and demand money. An accomplice, believed to be Hernandez, would drive up behind the gunman and take him away, police said.

Police wouldn’t say how much money was stolen altogether, noting only that it was a substantial amount.

The last robbery attributed to the suspects by police occurred on Sunday at the McDonald’s in the 11000 block of Sepulveda Boulevard in Mission Hills.